1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to trolling with a fishing pole and line and more specifically to devices for getting a trolled lure to a significant depth without the use of an inordinate amount of weight.
2. Background Information
In the United States and throughout the world, a significant number of fisherman believe they fish most successfully when pulling a lure or bait with a boat or trolling. (For purposes of this application, any lure, bait, or other fish attractor will be referred to as a lure.) Unless a very long line is used or a great amount of weight is attached to the line, the towing action of the boat tends to cause the trolled lure to be pulled near the surface of the water, and in many cases the fisherman desires that the lure be fished at a greater depth, often as close to the bottom as possible.
A number of devices have been invented which may be used to allow a lure to be fished at a significant depth. A downrigger, for example, is a very heavy weight which is releasable attached to a fishing line near the lure. When a fish strikes the lure or the lure becomes snagged, the weight releases from the fishing line and the fish played or the fisherman may attempt to release the lure from the snag without the hindrance of the heavy weight attached to the line.
Another type of device for deep trolling of a lure is often referred to as a trolling planer. Trolling planers perform the same function as a downrigger without the inconvenience of the heavy weight. Trolling planers ordinarily include a plane with a leading edge and a following edge. These planers may be configured such that the leading edge is lower than the following edge and the force of the water on the plane causes the plane and attached lure to be forced downward. The patent to Olds (U.S. Pat. No. 3,543,431; Dec. 1, 1970) is an example of this type of planer. Olds includes a horizontal plane with a vertical vane attached to the plane. There is a weight at the front of the plane. The fishing line is attached to the vane near forward end and the lure is affixed to the plane at its rearward end. The attachment point for the lure may be offset from the vane. The weight on the plane causes the leading edge of the plane to ride lower than the following edge and the forward motion of the boat causes the plane to dive. When a fish strikes the lure, the offset causes the plane to flip over and the pull of the boat then causes the plane to rise.
Fishermen attempting to troll a lure face a number of problems. Perhaps the most significant is to find a method of getting the lure to a significant depth without the use of inconveniently heavy weights.
Another significant problem which arises for such fishermen is the necessity of resetting a depth controller after a fish strikes the lure or the lure becomes snagged. When a downrigger is used, the heavy weight releases when a fish strikes; but, if the fish gets off, the entire rig must be pulled to the surface and reset before fishing may be resumed. A number of known trolling planers have a similar difficulty. They have a release mechanism which changes the planer from diving mode to rising mode when a fish strikes the lure or the lure becomes tangled, but they require the fisherman to pull the planer to the surface and reset the release mechanism before fishing can be resumed.
Another problem which arises for such fishermen is the need to be able to vary the depth at which the lure is trolled.
Another problem faced by fishermen when trolling a lure is that known downriggers or trolling planers require that the lure be fished directly behind the boat. In many instances it is desirable that the lure be fished to one side or the other of the path of the boat. For example, if there were two fishermen, it might be desirable for one to fish with the lure away from the path of the boat on one side and for the other to fish with the lure away from the path of the boat on the other side.
The invention presented in the present application is believed to solve, in a simple and effective fashion, problems which have long plagued fishermen desiring to troll a lure at a significant depth: a fishing planer which causes a lure to dive to an appropriate depth without the use of an inordinate amount of weight, which allows the fisherman to continue to fish if a fish strikes the lure and gets away or the lure becomes snagged without having to bring the planer to the surface and reset it, which allows the fisherman to adjust the depth at which the lure is trolled, and which allows the fisherman to troll the lure on a path away from the path of the boat.
The fishing planer of the instant invention is believed to solve all of the above problems which arise for fishermen trolling a lure. The fishing planer includes a plane with a leading edge and a following edge. The fishing planer is configured such that the leading edge is lower than the following edge and, in diving mode, the force of the water on the plane causes the planer to be forced toward the bottom. The planer is also configured such that, in rising mode, if a fish strikes the lure or the lure is snagged; the leading edge is higher than the following edge and the fishing planer is forced upward. The fishing planer also automatically resets if the fish gets away or the snag is freed. The planer may also be adjusted so that the diving angle may be changed. The fishing planer of the instant invention may also be adjusted so that in addition to diving, the planer is forced away from the path of the boat either on one side or the other.
The ideal fishing planer should cause a lure to dive to an appropriate depth without the use of an inordinate amount of weight. The ideal fishing planer should also allow the fisherman to continue to fish if a fish strikes the lure and gets away or the lure becomes snagged without having to bring the planer to the surface and reset it. The ideal fishing planer should allow the fisherman to adjust the depth at which the lure is trolled. The ideal fishing planer should also allow the fisherman to troll the lure on a path away from the path of the boat. The ideal fishing planer should also be simple, rugged, inexpensive, and easy to use.
The fishing planer of the instant invention includes a plane which has a generally rectangular shape and a leading edge and a following edge. A receiver is attached to the bottom of the plane at the center of the plane. A threaded bolt is screwed into a threaded hole in the receiver such that it is perpendicular to the following edge of the plane. The bolt is firmly affixed within the receiver so that is may not be unthreaded. A threaded bracket is threaded onto the bolt between the receiver and the head of the bolt. The bracket is of sufficient length that, when it is perpendicular to the plane, it protrudes above the top surface of the plane. A lock nut is threaded onto the bolt between the bracket and the head of the bolt. The bracket and the lock nut may be twisted to move them along the threads of the bolt to any position between the following edge of the plane and the head of the bolt. The lock nut may be turned toward and against the bracket such that it acts to hold the bracket firmly in any position along the length of the bolt.
A lure ring having an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of the bolt is interposed around the bolt between the lock nut and the head of the bolt. There is a hole near the top of the bracket and a bracket ring attached through this hole. A line connector is attached to the bracket ring and the fishing line is connected to the line connector. A lure connector is attached to the lure ring and the lure is attached to the lure connector by a lure line.
In operation, the fishing line is attached to the line connector and the lure is attached to the lure line. The weight of the plane is sufficient such that the leading edge of the plane is lower than the following edge of the plane. As the boat pulls the fishing planer through the water, the force of the water on the top surface of the plane forces the fishing planer to dive (diving mode). When the fishing planer reaches the appropriate depth the upward force of the fishing line and the downward force on the top surface of the plane reach equilibrium and the fishing planer is pulled through the water at approximately the same depth beneath the boat. The lure is pulled behind the planer and the weight of the lure causes it to be below the level of the fishing planer. If a fish strikes the lure or the lure becomes snagged, the head of the bolt is pulled downward which, in turn, causes the leading edge of the plane to become higher than the following edge. In this rising mode, the force of the water acts on the bottom surface of the plane and causes the plane to rise. If the fish gets away or the snag is freed, the leading edge of the plane resumes its downward position and the fishing planer switches to diving mode until it again reaches the appropriate depth and the fisherman may resume fishing.
The bracket may be moved and affixed by the lock nut either toward the plane or toward the head of the bolt. As the bracket is moved away from the plane, the diving angle of the plane increases. Thus, the fishing planer of the instant invention may be adjusted such that, at the same boat speed, it may be fished at a variety of depths. In addition, the fishing planer may be fished at the same depth at a variety of boat speeds.
The bracket may also be positioned such that it is not perpendicular to the top surface of the plane. If the bracket is positioned offset from the perpendicular, the force of the water acting on the top surface of the plane not only forces the fishing planer to dive; but also forces the fishing planer away from the path of the boat.
One of the major objects of the present invention is to provide a fishing planer which causes a lure to dive to an appropriate depth without the use of an inordinate amount of weight.
Another objective of the present invention is to allow the fisherman to continue to fish if a fish strikes the lure and gets away or the lure becomes snagged without having to bring the fishing planer to the surface and reset it.
Another objective of the present invention is to allow the fisherman to adjust the depth at which the lure is trolled.
Another objective of the present invention is to allow the fisherman to troll the lure on a path away from the path of the boat.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a fishing planer which is simple, rugged, inexpensive, and easy to use.
These and other features of the invention will become apparent when taken in consideration with the following detailed description and the drawings.